Paper Mario

As with most RPG titles, players must battle with several menacing enemies as they travel from place to place on their quest. Each encounter requires gamers to strategically choose between various modes of attack. For example, Mario is particularly handy with the hammer--thus you might opt to select his hangover-inducing hammer attack. As the adventure progresses, additional characters will join your quest. Your ever-growing posse gives you more fighting power, as each team member brings new attack moves and powers worth mastering. To advance within the game, you'll need to pay close attention to your health meter, enemy hit points, and your ever-expanding attack options. The game starts with enemies that are easy to defeat, but it quickly becomes quite difficult to survive subsequent attacks without careful planning.

Unlike most RPG games, each attack sequence is enhanced by a special action function. Instead of passively sitting back and watching each attack move occur, the player can enhance your attack by pressing a button or moving the directional controller at precisely the right time. As someone who has racked up several hours (and more than a few snoozes) during repetitious RPG attack sequences, the action feature is a welcome addition to break up the monotony of multiple attacks.

Fans of the traditional Mario games will appreciate the return of familiar characters, such as Princess Peach and Luigi. Perpetual baddie Bowser even plays a key role in this addictive adventure. Best of all, there are plenty of hidden areas and extras to uncover. Paper Mario may boast elements of the classic platform gaming genre, as well as the traditional RPG--but it ultimately cuts through all expectations to deliver an experience that appeals to both casual and hard-core gamers. --Brett Atwood

Pros:

• Weeks of gaming due to expansive environments
• Hidden goodies to uncover
• Classic Mario gameplay mixed with traditional RPG action

• Highly addictive (prepare to lose some sleep)
• Cartoon exterior may not appeal to some hard-core gamers

Paper Mario is the sequel to the classic Super NES role-playing game Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Like the original, it contains a mix of turn-based battles and intricate puzzles, as well as timed attacks. Players time their attacks by moving the D-pad and pressing the A button at exactly the right moment to inflict maximum damage. This seasons Paper Mario with a little action/adventure flavor. Classic characters, such as Mario, Luigi, Peach, Bowser, and Toad, are joined by the likes of Goombario and Kammy Koopa.

Paper Mario is filled to the brim with familiar faces, places and items, all presented in a fresh new light. As you guide the plucky plumber on his journey, you'll encounter such Mario mainstays as Boos, Bob-ombs, Koopas and Goombas. Most of them are enemies, but sometimes one will break ranks and fight by Mario's side. You'll also meet up with a rogue's gallery of old friends and foes, whom may include Bowser, Goombario, Kooper Koopa, Princess Peach, and Kammy Koopa.

Paper Mario is a game that has something for everyone. It's simple to learn and fun for younger gamers, yet complex enough to keep even battle-hardened joystick jockeys playing for weeks. Followers of the Mario craze will be pleased with the recognizable faces and worlds, while RPG fans can rejoice at the thought of one of the deepest and most customizable RPG's to come along for any system in a very long time. Add a gigantic world, hundreds of special moves, dozens of items, and some very funny dialogue and sight gags--the result is the Mario game we've all been eagerly awaiting.


This isn't 5 stars - it's 7 star spirits!!!   April 10, 2001
20 out of 21 found this review helpful

This is a GREAT game! I don't have it for my N64 yet, but I've rented it. While you try to beat the game, you'll find several friends who will help you a lot during your journey. The object of the game is to save seven Star Spirits and defeat Bowser (again, fans of previous Mario games will sigh). I liked it so much I rented it again after I had to return it! It is a great challenge. If you're a fan of Pokemon and/or Zelda, I'd try this game out! I'm sure all the girls who are Mario fans will like the fact that their are several girl characters like Bombette (my personal favorite) and Sushie. If you've played the original Mario, then you'll recognize Goombas right away, and if you've played Mario 2, then you'll find that Watt carries a resemblance to the annoying sun in a desert level. Mario 3 and Mario 64 players will immediately know the Bob-ombs (though I'm sure you'll agree that Bombette and her friends are nicer than the annoying exploders of Mario 3). There's even some of those not-well-known characters like the Shy Guys from Yoshi's World (a cute N64 game I've rented). There's everything you could ever want in a Mario, Pokemon, or Zelda game - hidden blocks, tricky-to-defeat bad guys, expensive and cheap items, plenty of coins, and even those seemingly useless places that have a secret meaning. Overall, a great game!


Never Gonna Get Bored of it! ~Game Hints In Review~   August 1, 2001
Twinrova (MD)
25 out of 28 found this review helpful

Ok, let me start off by saying that Paper Mario is an addictive RPG game. There is no way you won't want to play this. The objective is to (Guess) Save the Princess from Bowser. There's a lot of extras in this game besides the main quest though. You need to collect 164 star pieces to complete a BADGE Collection which help you defeat enemies which give you STAR POINTS (Exp. Points) which help you get stronger. Not too complicated. Actually, you don't NEED the badges lol.

Hint:Get the PowerJump badge and the Multibounce Badge. Works great as a combo.

Paper Mario has more extras than that, though. There is a Koopa called "Koot" in the Koopa Village. He's old and selfish, sometimes. I FINALLY completed his errands, which took a long time.

Hint:Try Toad Tunnels in Toad Town or Merlon's house in Toad Town when you have no clue where to go next!

The gameplay is great, as the control (synonyms?) The sound is just amazing, I need the soundtrack! The character development is great, also. Overall, they couldn't make a better game (Except ZELDA:OCARINA OF TIME) So, I guess this is almost the best game ever! Great! Thanks for reading! If you read through this whole thing, go get a treat. Press "YES" also. Ok? If not, then get out of here!!!!

~Twin


Not Only A Sequel But An Excellent Game   January 27, 2001
stephen Garry (Manchester England)
36 out of 42 found this review helpful

Mario is back. The worlds most reconizable computer character is back in yet another fantastic game. Paper Mario is the second in the series (first being Super Mario RPG) of one the best fun games. There is an introduction of two new characters (Gommbario and Kammy Koopa) which is introducing new life into the mario series. The game will appeal to all as it starts off easy for everyone to grasp and then it gets progressive harder so those who have good gaming skill will still find it a challenge. This game is worth buying as it is so fun and after all its MARIO


Cute and fun!   August 22, 2002
G. McNutt (WA, United States)
13 out of 13 found this review helpful

When I first saw my son playing Paper Mario I thought it looked too cutesie for me, but I decided to try it and loved it! I have played it all the way through several times and I am 30 years old, so I would say this game could be enjoyed by any age old enough to read. You play Mario and go around in different areas fighting monsters in different ways, and you gain fighting methods and levels as you go. You also gain new friends that join your team and fight with you, who have different skills. It is fun to decide who to use for which battle according to their skills. You gain star points with each fight (after you reach certain levels this no longer happens with lower monsters, bummer) and then every 100 star points you can level up your hit points, flower points (lets you use special skills) and badge points, which lets you have extra details to your character, and I constantly swapped bagdes around to be ready for certain situations. Basically Mario is trying to save Princess Peach from Bowser, but there are many side adventures that are fun too, like delivering mail, finding star pieces, having Tast. E cook interesting recipies for you, going gambling and favors for Koopa Koot. If you are looking for a game that will keep you entertained, I recommend this one! By the way, there are save files so you don't need a memory card, and you have to save at specific spots in the game.